Rocket spring ramp



Sept. 28, 1954 L. B. HEDGE ROCKET SPRING RAMP Filed April 4, 1952gwucmfom Lufuyecte B- Hedge Patented Sept. 28, 1954 ROCKET SPRING RAMPLafayette B. Hedge, Washington, D. 0., assignor to the United States ofAmerica as represented by the Secretary of the Army Application April 4,1952, Serial No. 280,633

' (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1.952) sec. 266) 4 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government for governmental purposes without the payment of anyroyalty thereon.

This invention relates to rockets and more particularly to a novelsafety device that will greatly facilitate the handling and using ofrocket projectiles under battle conditions.

For the sake of safety in handling such projectiles and also to preventpremature explosion thereof in a launching tube a locking device isfurnished which is itself retained by a detent and a definitepredetermined procedure must be followed before the projectile is in acondition to detonate.

In the bazooka type of rocket projectiles the locking device is a boreriding pin and the detent is a locking band, which band embraces therocket body and maintains the bore riding pin in a depressed position.When the user removes the band preparatory to firing the bore riding pinis spring urged outwardly a short distance and it is held in thisposition by internal locks. It has been found that under battleconditions and especially at night the now protruding pin is likely toengage the edge of the launching tube and thereby prevent the user fromthrusting it into the full launching position.

According to the present invention I avoid the above mentioneddifficulty by providing a spring ramp that conveniently bridges thespacing between the rocket nose and the bore riding pin head whereby thepin is guided easily into the tube.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing inwhich:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a rocket and launcher tubeillustrating my invention.

Figure 2 is a view taken on lines 2-2 of Figure 1 and looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a view taken on lines 33 of Figure 1 and looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Referring first to Figure 1, reference character I denotes the main bodyof the fuse provided with the usual threaded opening in its base adaptedto be screwed into the main body of a rocket 2. A shaft 3 is slidablyfitted within a longitudinal bore in the fuse body and carries amushroom head 4 in the usual manner. Bore riding pin 6 is slidablyengaged within a transverse cavity and bears a cap 7 which is normallyengaged by the safety band (not shown) and which engages the interior ofthe launching tube during rocket travel therethrough. A spring ramp isshown in dotted lines in the position it would normally assume when thelocking band is .in position, and in solid lines when the band isremoved and the projectile is ready for insertion into the launchingtube. The spring ram comprises a main leaf 9 and a branch leaf l0suitably secured thereto. The spring ram bridges respectively the boreriding pin cap 1 with the mushroom head 4 and the shaft 3 substantiallyas shown. The leaves are made of relatively thin gauge spring steel sothat they will be somewhat resilient in use. Branch leaf I0 isbifurcated as can be best seen in Figure 3 to straddle the shaft andengage piston 4 when the band is in place as is shown in the dottedlines. The main leaf is turned back upon itself to form a hook II at oneend for engagement with the outer face of mushroom head 4 and a flat 8to bear against the top of cap 1.

A fragment of launcher tube body I 3 having the usual outwardly flaringbell I4 is shown in a position to receive the fuse furnished with mynovel spring ramp. As mentioned above the position of the bore ridingpin with the locking band removed is illustrated in solid lines and itcan be readily seen that when the fuse is inserted into the tube theinterior of the bell I 4 will engage main leaf 9 and smoothly guide thebore riding pin to its proper position within the tube.

I have described a preferred embodiment of my present invention and donot wish to be limited by the specific example here shown but only bythe scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a rocket having a fuse adapted to be launchedfrom a tube and including a bore riding pin, a spring ramp comprising aresilient main leaf including a reentrant portion at one end thereofforming a hook and a bent portion at the other end forming a flatengaging the said bore riding pin, the said hook bearing against aforward portion of said fuse and forming a bridge, and a bifurcatedbranch leaf secured to the said main leaf and depending therefrom tostraddle a second forward portion of the said fuse to prevent lateraldisplacement of the spring ramp.

2. In combination with a rocket having a fuse adapted to be launchedfrom a tube and including a bore riding pin, a spring ramp comprising aresilient main leaf having one end thereof forming a hook and the otherend forming a fiat engaging the said bore riding pin, a mushroom head atthe forward portion of said fuse, the said hook extending forward andbearing against said mushroom head to form a bridge, a shaft slidable inthe said fuse and supporting the said mushroom head, a bifurcated branchleaf secured to the said main leaf and forming an acute angle therewithto extend toward and straddle said shaft.

3. In a fuse having a body and intended for use with rockets, a boreriding pin slidable in said body and adapted to be ejected duringflight, a spring ramp comprising a resilient main leaf having one endthereof forming a hook and the other end forming a flat and engaging thesaid bore riding pin, a mushroom head at the forward portion of saidfuse, the said hook extending forward and bearing against said mushroomhead to form a bridge, a shaft slidable in the forward part of said bodyand supporting said head, a branch leaf bifurcated at one end thereofand straddling the said shaft and joined at the other end thereof to thesaid main leaf substantially midway between the said hook and the saidflat.

4. In a combination with a rocket having a fuse adapted to be launchedfrom a tube and including a bore riding pin, a spring member comprisinga resilient main leaf and a bifurcated branch leaf attached thereto toform a Y, said main leaf having one end thereof bent to form a hook andthe other end bent to form a flat, a shaft having an enlarged headportion extending from the forward portion of said fuse, the said hookbearing against the said head portion and the said flat engaging thesaid bore riding pin to form a bridge, the said bifurcated branch leafstraddling the said shaft to prevent lateral motion of said springmember.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 370,570 Sullivan et a1 Sept. 27, 1887 2,137,056 Liegeois Nov.15, 1938 2,368,064 Fanger Jan. 23, 1945 2,420,661 Fox May 20, 1947FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 713,464 Germany Nov. '7, 1941

